Afghan refugees to celebrate Eid in Chicago after arriving in US

Nekbakht Merzayee had a smile on her face after she was given a brand new outfit to put on for Eid at a nonprofit’s celebratory giveaway Thursday, however she stated she felt “not excellent” about being away from her family members this vacation.

She arrived within the Chicago space in Could after having to depart her husband and household in Afghanistan earlier this yr.

She joined about 85 households that walked by the Devon Avenue location of the Chicago chapter of Islamic Circle of North America Reduction, or ICNA Reduction, Thursday afternoon to obtain presents forward of the Muslim vacation, Eid al-Adha, which begins Saturday. Whereas the nonprofit often works with refugees from roughly 15 totally different nationalities, this yr there was an enormous inflow of refugees from Afghanistan who wanted assist, stated Beena Farid, the outreach coordinator for ICNA Reduction throughout the larger Chicago space.

The aim, she stated, was to make their first Eid celebrations away from their properties particular.

“These individuals have gone by loads,” Farid stated. “They’ve misplaced their properties, they’ve misplaced their homeland, they’ve misplaced their households, and so they got here right here and are remoted for therefore many causes. We simply need to make them really feel somewhat bit particular so that they know that we look after them and we’re there for them.”

The occasion, which was marketed as an Eid toy giveaway, introduced tons of by the nonprofit’s doorways, however Zak Sirajullah, well being providers supervisor at ICNA Reduction, stated the giveaway was not only for toys. Workers members and volunteers had been additionally distributing new garments for individuals to put on on Eid and private hygiene packages for girls.

The giveaways are geared towards refugees and immigrants, Sirajullah stated, however the nonprofit doesn’t discriminate towards anybody who reveals up.

“Clearly if somebody is coming to our door, they’ve a necessity for our providers and what we’re providing, so we’ll be pleased to assist them,” he stated.

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Sirajullah stated giveaways like Thursday’s occur twice a yr earlier than every of the Eid holidays, Eid al-Fitr, which marks the tip of the Muslim fasting month Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, which marks the tip of thousands and thousands of Muslims’ Hajj pilgrimage.

“Quite a lot of them, their revenue goes on to housing, lease, meals, so luxuries like these are very troublesome, so we look ahead to distributing these yearly and so they look ahead to receiving it, as you possibly can see, we now have a line across the block,” Sirajullah stated.

The nonprofit’s Devon Avenue heart is residence to different providers together with case administration, back-to-school drives and a meals pantry, which distributes contemporary produce, meat, dairy merchandise and different groceries two to 3 instances per week.

All of the gadgets distributed Thursday had been new, both bought from donations given to the nonprofit or donated instantly, Farid stated. There have been round 800 toys piled excessive at the back of a truck initially of the giveaway, and the truck was almost empty round two hours later.

The nonprofit additionally companions with totally different organizations to make a widespread distinction, Farid stated. Extra Eid giveaways had been happening on the nonprofit’s location in Glendale Heights, and the nonprofit despatched presents to the Carol Stream and Aurora areas for households there.

“We hope to extend the assistance we give much more as a result of the necessity is a lot extra,” Farid stated. “Individuals say that it’s best to donate in another country, and lots of people do donate in another country, however individuals don’t understand even proper right here in our neighborhoods, these are our neighbors and so they need assistance.”

Farida stated anybody all for studying extra about ICNA Reduction and methods to get entangled can go to icnarelief.org.